SWITZERLAND WILL PROVIDE PEACEKEEPERS

Switzerland announced Wednesday it will provide military observers for U.N. military peacekeeping operations despite not being a member of the world organization.

In a decision Wednesday that does not require Parliament or any other approval, the seven-member Federal Council or governing coalition Cabinet said Switzerland will begin to assist U.N. peacekeeping operations in 1990.The government said Swiss nationals, on a voluntary basis, may only act as unarmed military observers.

Switzerland would be prepared to provide personnel for new peace-keeping operations in Namibia as well as existing operations in the Middle East and along the India-Pakistan and Iran-Iraq borders, the government said.

Swiss volunteers will receive three-week training courses in Finland, which like neighboring and similarly neutral Sweden has long provided peacekeeping troops as well as military observers.